Dancing Mad
by ShaD.23
Summary: Novelization of the final confrontation of Final Fantasy VI. Be waned, MAJOR SPOILERS HERE!
1. Prelude

**Disclaimer:** This is not _entirely_ how Final Fantasy VI ends, rather my vision of the perfect ending. I will say, if will follow the basic play out of the final confrontation with Kefka, and thusly, will be filled to the brim with spoilers. You have been warned.

* * *

It had been a long time since the journeys began. It had been a long time and the heartache of the world continued. It had been a long time since the Espers, the ancestral beings of magic, failed and died away. It had been a short time since the monster, Kefka, once general of the Gestahl Empire, had ascended. Having stolen away the mighty powers and energies of the three entities from another era, the Warring Triad, he was now thought to be invincible, perched atop a misshapen, living tower of machinery and broken bodies. The world had grown decrepit and barren over the course of a single year. Flora and fauna alike were all but memories. The remaining humans lived in fear that one would reject Kefka as their 'god', bringing down his decimating Light of Judgment. They were trapped. They were suffering. They were dying. They were fading.

There were only few who resisted. Those who challenged the empire one year before. Those who match Kefka's armies and might once before. The Returners, the resistance of the now fallen Gestahl Empire and now the challengers of Kefka. Terra Branford, the child of and Esper and human, was stolen away from her parents many years ago, raised as a super soldier for the empire and hunted by Kefka for a long time. She was the one who led the few who chose to resist Kefka into battle.

Locke Cole, a master thief and treasure hunter, and Terra's first ally marched with her into battle. Celes Chere, who was once a general for the empire's army along side of Kefka, who held a grudge for the horrid experiments he and others of the empire preformed on her. Edgar Figaro, king of the Figaro kingdom whom once almost lost his palace and people to the crazed Kefka's fury. Sabin Figaro, Edgar's twin brother who left his kingdom behind to train into a mighty warrior, returning for a world that needed him. Cyan Garamonde, a skilled samurai and the only survivor of the once proud Doman empire after Kefka poisoned the waters of his land, killing his king and family. A wise and deadly ninja known only by the name of Shadow, who once worked only as a sword-for-hire, but now fought to repent for being swayed into the service of the empire one year before. A feral child know only as Gau, who once lived in an untamed savanna who now felt loved and accepted by his new friends. Setzer Gambbiani, an infamous pirate, gambler and airship captain who joined with the Returners after tricked into a fixed gambit. Strago Magus, a wise old sage and mighty magi who joined the fight against the empire after the Returners saved both his town and granddaughter. Relm Arrowny, a young, peppy, spirited artist and an endlessly enthusiastic driving force behind the Returners. Mog, a Moogle, an enigmatic creature native to their world, capable of speech and a skilled combatant. A silent, perplexing warrior known only by her title, Gogo the Mimic. Umaro, a beastly wendigo who was coaxed by Mog to join their cause.

They had come such a long way, through thick and thin, through the sheen and the fires. It was time for them to put an end to the agony. It was time for them to stop Kefka... by any means necessary.

* * *

Final fantasy VI is a triumph as a game. I will be sowing my heart and soul into writing this fight. Wish me luck as I make this project.


	2. Waltz

The masses had gathered at the summit of Kefka's tower. Terra, Locke, Celes, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Shadow, Gau, Setzer, Strago, Relm, Mog, Gog and Umaro. They had all come so far and were ready for battle... or at least that's what they had to believe. They saw a great nirvana before them. Golden skies, unlike the dark clouds they saw on the surface. A floating mass of machinery and flesh hung before them, but unlike the tower they traveled through, it was smooth, refined, the bodies unbroken and not a trace of decomposition or struggle on them, the mechanisms gleaming, undamaged and regal. No doubt about it. They had reached Kefka's place of sanctuary. Before their eyes, they saw his form materializing in a giant shard of crystal, smirking down at them. They knew it was time.

"So..." Kefka sneered down at them. "You've really toughed it out, haven't you? What a bunch of pathetic pricks!" he said in a haughty voice. "Can't die right! Can't give up right! Can't shut up right! DUMB! DUMB! DUMB!" he roared, hopping up and down childishly. "Oh well, screw that ol' chestnut." he said, straightening up in a dignified way. "I knew you'd make it hear so I've prepared some suitable entertainment." a cooed with a malicious air to his voice. With that, Terra stepped forth, calling out "How long are you going to let the destructing continue!"

Kefka sighed and puffed himself up in a more dignified manner.

"Why Terra..." he said in a proper tone before dropping off into a childish rant of "You piss me off! Pissed! Pissed! Pissed! Pissed off! Pissed off! PISSED OFF-ah..."

"And I thought Mog had a dirty mouth." Edgar sighed. "Hey, bitch!" Mog growled from behind. "Shut your ass up, dammit, I think we ought to take this shit seriously!" With that, the Moogle folded his arms and stuck his pointed snout in the air as Kefka continued to swear and rant.

"Dearest blasphemers." Kefka said in his oily, proper tone. "I've tapped into ultimate powers. Observe..." he hissed as the gigantic crystal shard began to shimmer. Instantly, Edgar and Sabin were lifted into the air, struggling and gagging as Kefka used his mighty powers to choke the very life from their bodies. Growing weaker and weaker, Kefka laughed his crazed laugh. "Such magnificent power!" Kefka roared. "You are like insects to me!" Everyone gasped and gazed as Edgar and Sabin began to grow weaker and weaker. "I will exterminate everyone and everything!" Kefka howled with delight as he sent the twin brothers back down to the summit of his mechanized, living tower with a great, painful crash. Kefka, beside himself with glee, began to prance about within the giant crystal shard, ranting and laughing all the time.

"People will keep rebuilding the things that you take from them!"

Slowly, Kefka turned to see Terra stepping closer to the edge of the tower toward him.

"Oh really..." he hissed. "Then I'll just destroy them, too!" he howled, turning away from them. Terra couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something just wasn't right, even for Kefka. "Why do people rebuild they know are going to be destroyed!" he went on. "Why do people cling to life knowing they won't live forever! Thick of how meaningless each of your lives is!" he spat, his gleeful taunting voice now oddly apathetic. Having had enough, Terra leaped for the floating hunk of metal and flesh and scaled it until she came close enough to Kefka's crystal form.

"It's not the final result or outcome of life!" she called for the clown. "It's the day-to-day concerns! It's the personal victories! It' the celebration of life... and love!" At this, Kefka roared and flung Terra into a hunk of the shining machinery, glaring and throttling the life from her.

"It's enough if people are able to experience the joy that each new day brings." she rasped, fighting to cling to life, Kefka's face growing more and more furious with each word. "And have you, Terra," Kefka said in his pompous tone "found your joy in this damned world of ours? HAVE YOU!" he screamed, his glee replaced with raw fury. As Terra struggled and struggled, she suddenly felt the crushing power of Kefka's killing force fade completely.

"Yes." she said calmly before slowly descending the giant floating chunk for the summit, joining once more with her friends. "I know what love is!" she called out, remembering the children she cared for in Mobliz.

"And I have learned to celebrate life... and the living!" Locke added, having finally put the past (and his deceased lover) behind him. "My family lives on within me!" Cyan roared with pride. "I know what friendship is... and family..." Shadow hissed, glancing at Relm. "It is my dream," Edgar began "to build a kingdom in which I can guarantee freedom and dignity!" "Yes! And I have come to experience anew the love of my brother!" Sabin called out. "I've met someone who can accept me for who and what I am!" Celes said, putting her hand on Locke's shoulder. "I've a special little granddaughter." Strago said with a smile. Turning to her grandfather, Relm proudly cawed "And I have a brave grandfather who will stand by me through it all!" "The memory of my best friend and her precious ariship." Setzer added with a misty eyed smile. "I have the best damn friends ever, bitch! How ya like that?" Mog shouted with pride. "You my friends! All best friends!" Gau howled happily. Gogo and Umaro both nodded in agreement. This was where they were meant to be. This was their moment. All of theirs.

At these words, at this thought, Kefka turned back to them, a perplexed and pensive look on his face. Had they really made it through to him? Was he really about to see the light?

"This shit is sickening!" Kefka sneered in his childish manner. "You sound like deadbeat trash from a self-help book! Shaddup and die, would ya!" Kefka spat as his giant crystal shone brighter and brighter. Instantly, as the Returners watched and called out in shock, Kefka sent his Light of Judgment across the land, raging firing and deep fissures shooting in its wake. "I command the greatest power in all worlds!" Kefka laughed, his voice growing warped and echoing. "You're helpless before me!" he screeched as the Light of Judgment shot further and further through the already decimated plains. Suddenly, the crystal shattered as a flaming shard of the tower shot upward, Kefka perched unflinching atop it as it raised higher and higher. "I will never stop! I will create a monument to non-existence!" he howled, laughing with delight.

"There will always be people! There will always be dreams!" Terra called as loud as she could.

"NO!" roared Kefka. "I WILL KILL THEM ALL! DESTROY IT ALL HURT! KILL DESTROY! END! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!"

At this, Locke stepped forth and stood by Terra's side.

"We won't let you kill another soul ever again, Kefka." he said, narrowing his eyes. Kefka only chortled and hacked with laughter as Locke spoke.

"What fun is destruction if lives aren't lost?" Kefka sneered. "Kill all! Yes! May man and woman alike feel my wrath! Let suffer the little children!" he cawed, eying Terra as her face suddenly turned from determined to worried. "Yes! Innocent and guilty alike! All will die!" Kefka shrieked, his insanity add bloodlust rising as he sent the Light of Judgment about the wastelands once more. Finally, The group of challengers leaped for the floating mass Kefka waited on. They were ready. They climbed higher and higher up his living tower until suddenly the fragments from shattered crystal shone and soared for them all, building up around them, each of them losing consciousness. The battle was about to begin.


	3. Overture

Everyone floated in the sky. They were surrounded by dark, stormy clouds and silent thunder shot through them every few moments. They all looked on at a monstrous, colossal shape in the distance. It looked like the upper half of a muscular man, but it was made of metal, grimacing an huffing as it stretched it's enormous, massive arms forth. This had to be Kefka's true form. Before the Returners could ponder this anymore, Setzer, Umaro and Mog began to helplessly drift toward it.

"MORTALS!" it roared in two voices. The first voice was none other than that of Kefka himself, but the second voice was the deep and growling voice of the entity 'Demon', whom some of the Returners met with while on Kefka's tower. "YOU DIE NOW!"

The monstrous form reaches and swung for the three as they hurried from it. Although they were in the air high above the tower, it was as though they stood on an invisible floor, Kefka's tower and the rest of the world visible below them. The furious being swung for them again, but this time they were ready. Setzer pulled a fist full of darts from his utility belt and flung them for the being's face, each of the darts striking it, causing the apparition of Kefka to roar and swing for them again.

"DESTRUCTION!" it howled in its two voices. "KILL! SUFFER! DIE!"

Theorizing it was a mindless beast which wanted nothing more than to kill all around it, Setzer made a dash for it, sliding under its sweeping arms and jumping for its face, pulling more darts from his belt and jabbing the entity in its face

"How's that for an opening gambit, eh?" he shouted, seizing more darts and jabbing them about the hulking form. Roaring and howling with raw rage, the gigantic beast swung both of its arms for Setzer, seizing him from its face and squeezing with malicious desire. Setzer would have screamed out in pain, but he couldn't breath. His vision fading, he felt his time had finally come. Just then, however, he watched as a blinding streak of white shot for the gigantic apparition, causing it to clutch its face and shriek with a spine-tingling cry.

"Yeah! Up yours, you bastard! Eat my shit!"

Mog taunted the giant as he continued his lighting fast onslaught, striking this giant hulk with an adorned halberd, the being growing more and more furious by the second. Finally, it became too much, and the beast shrieked as faces (all Kefka's) protruded about it's body, all screaming and swearing. The beast brought its fists crashing down on the invisible surface the three stood on, causing each of them to be caught in the striking tremors. Instantly, the feral Umaro leaped to his feet, brandishing a giant bone like a club, and charged for the incarnation of Kefka, only to be caught by its gigantic arms. As they began to pull at Umaro's arms, the yeti roaring out in pain, the brute's face twisted into a psychotic and fear inspiring grin.

"PAIN!" it screeched in its two voices. "DEATH! DESTRUCTION! WRATH! HATRED! RAGE!"

It was clear to see this mindless thing wanted only death and carnage. Setzer looked to Mog and they both knew what needed to be done. Fishing into his pouch, Setzer seized his final dart as Mog began to dance one of his many sacred dances.

"Fine! You want rage?" Setzer smirked. "Try this for rage!" he said as he flung his dart for Umaro. As the sharp pain shot through the wendigo, he began to thrash and shake in the giant's grasp. His pain had been replaced by fury. Pulling with all his might, Umaro broke free of the gigantic entity's grasp and turned for his other, still captive arm. Ripping and tearing in a wild craze, Umaro began to thrash about their arena, charging for the giant with his bone club raised, pummeling it with no stop. Knocking Umaro away with its remaining arm, the monstrous deity was helpless as it spotted a mammoth bolt of lightning from a rain dance Mog was preforming. Battered from Umaro's siege and seared by the lightning, the giant closed its eyes and broke down, dead and defeated.

* * *

As the three who challenged it cheered, three more began to helplessly drift higher through the stormy clouds. Strago, Relm and Gogo faced a most horrifying display as they came higher. Several humanoid figures, all bound, tethered, shackled and chained to one another, all with Kefka's face, rattled and laughed and clanged for the three as they approached.

"FOOLS! FOOLS, ALL OF YOU!~" it grinned. Like the being from before, it, too, spoke with two voices, although while the first voice was Kefka's, the second was a high-pitched, crazed and jeering voice, the voice of the dispatched being 'Fiend'. "YOU FIGHT!~ YOU STRUGGLE!~ WHY IS THAT!~ ARE YOU STUPID!~ ARE YOU SUCIDAL!~ ARE YOU ASS HOLES!~ SPEAK, WHY DON'T YA!~" As they tortured beings laughed and taunted them on, giant balls of fire began to rain down on the three as they hurried about their invisible arena. Relm was young and quick, Gogo was nimble and skilled, Strago, despite being so old, was poised and effortlessly dodged each flaming strike.

"My turn!" he called as he jumped for the crazed mass, brandishing a weathered but strong staff, striking each of the figures with ease. Swinging about as they swung for him, he continued his assault, the frenzied beings growing more and more frazzled. Finally, he came to a stop as he saw long, bendy, jointless arms stretch from each place he struck.

"STUPID OLD MAN!~" they taunted. "STUPID OLD MAN! STUPID OLD MAN! STU-PID-OLD-MAN!" they all called as the slowly growing arms stretched further and further for them. Narrowing his eyes, Strago nodded for Relm.

"Are you ready, Gogo?" she asked to her silent ally, getting a slow nod from the heavily cloaked mimic. They both charged, Relm brandishing her precious paintbrush which she pulled a concealed dagger from, Gogo pulling a dagger in perfect synchronization with the little warrior. Both jumped for either side of the insane mass and began to slice and cleave for its arms and shackled figures.

"HURT! PAIN! HURT! PAIN!" they roared. "WHY HURT ME! I DON'T WANNA HURT! I WANT YOU TO HURT!" it screeched as it grew more arms and swung form Relm. Thinking desperately, Relm reassembled her paintbrush and quickly drew the crude outline of the misshapen being on the invisible ground before her. Instantly, a flimsy doppelganger stretched forth, sending its jointless arms for the giant Kefka mass. While it held the form in place, it began to falther, Relm unable to escape as a free arm shot for her. Just before it seized her, however, Gogo rushed for her and stuck her dagger into the stretching arms.

"Run! Now!" the usually silent mimic screeched. Relm hurried away as Gogo began to force her dagger up through the arm's wrist. Meanwhile, Strago, having been watching from afar the whole time, jumped forth, summoning his ancient powers of mimicry, he sent a gigantic bolt of pure energy he saw a beast they encountered before use. Gogo, seeing the attack closing in, ripped with all her might, tearing the hand from the arm and rolling away as the raging force struck the tangled entity with a brilliant explosion. Straining from the agony, the once jeering apparitions now cried and wept in pain and selfishness. The battle was not going in their favor. Full of spite and wanting revenge, the beings grew more arms which stretched for Strago. Before the sage could evade them, Gogo swung both her bloody dagger and the bleeding hand about her, making an identical sketch to the one Relm made before. As before, a doppelganger stretched from the non-existent floor and constricted Kefka's mass of insanity. Jumping high, Gogo sent the same glimmering bolt Strago sent before on the beings. As the bolt struck and the blast ensued, the bound entities began to laugh and rant once again, each of them slowly falling silent and dying.

* * *

The three congratulated themselves as four began to drift above the clouds. Locke, Edgar, Sabin and Gau as they came to meet with the giant form of Kefka, shining and regal, reclining in a dramatic pose as the beautiful form of a woman resembling not only resembling Terra, but Celes as well, hung over him.

"SUCH FOOLISHNESS..." he spoke in two voices, this time not only his own but also the seductive voice of the almighty entity 'Goddess'. "YOU COME SO FAR... HAVEN'T YOU THE REASONING TO STOP?" he asked as he fanned himself with a gigantic, jewel adorned fan. "ME, RULER OF ALL THERE IS, ME, YOUR GOD KEFKA, ME, THE MOST REGAL AND FLAWLESS BEING THERE IS..."

"I've heard enough!" Edgar spat, holding an enormous chainsaw at ready (machinery being one of his strong points). "It's time we shut your trap once and for all, Kefka!" he called, priming his weapon, his friends standing at ready.

"FOOLISH HUMANS..." Kefka sneered as the female face began to cry giant tears of blood. "YOU WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE AGAINST ME..." Instantly, lightning shot from the giant Kefka's clawed hand, everyone shooting out of the way from it. Locke, seeing his chance, hurried for Kefka, only for the same, stretching, jointless arms from the tangled mass Strago, Relm and Gogo faced to begin to shoot for him. Nevertheless, being a talented thief, he dove this way and that, dodging them with ease, drawing a curved sickle and slicing each of the grasping hands off at the wrist. Edgar, charging once more, readied his chainsaw, only to be confronted with even more arms, but rather than reach for him, they opened wide and began to shoot giant bursts of fire, lightning and ice for him. Swinging his chainsaw from side to side, he managed cut down or deflect the attacks the god-like being sent for him, but it wasn't enough. Even as Locke dashed for each arm, more grew out to take the place of the incapacitated ones. Thinking desperately, Edgar flung his chainsaw for the arms, watching as if drifted through the floorless arena. Pulling his crossbow from his backpack, he began to fire rapid bolts for each of the arms, holding them at bay. Just then, Gau, after watching his friends fend off the attacking deity for so long, rushed for Edgar's drifting chainsaw, seizing it and swinging it this way and that for the reclining Kefka.

"PITIFUL BOY..." he cooed, catching the chainsaw. "IT IS TIME YOU PERISH..." the glowing being chortled as he sent a powerful charge of lightning through the weapon, searing the feral boy a brief moment before the chainsaw exploded, sending him flying. Sabin, who had been fending off the grasping arms from behind, turned to see his dear friend collapse. Glaring, feeling white hot fires rage inside him, he began to swing his bare fists for each of the swinging, swiping arms, making his way to Kefka. Feeling raw energy flow through him, he jumped high and shot for Kefka, bringing his fist down for him. Kefka, seeing this, sent a powerful attack for him, only for it to meet with his fist, causing a twisting, churning vortex to swirl about the attacking man.

"Most wise of you, Kefka!" Sabin growled, the stretching arms reaching for him, only to be caught in the raging cyclone. "You know my Phantom Rush technique will kill you easily!" he called, never dropping his form.

"KILL YOUR GOD, YOU SAY..." Kefka sneered calmly. "SUCH ASTOUNDING IGNORANCE..." Gritting his teeth, the stress of keeping his attack going and fighting Kefka's vortex, Sabin began to grow weaker and weaker by the second. Summoning all his strength, Sabin began to turn with the vortex, matching its flow and wavelength perfectly. Feeling the churning void surround him, Sabin suddenly felt a place to break through. Glaring, shooting forward once more, his fist burst into white flames, drawing in the chaotic cyclone, adding its immeasurable power to his already phenomenal attack as he shot forth, connecting his fist with Kefka, shooting through him and shattering him as if he were stone, continuing to the crying statue and shattering it as well. All the lingered was Kefka's laughter. All that was left was Kefka himself.


	4. Dancing Mad

Terra, Shadow, Cyan and Celes. They had all come so far and were ready for battle... or at least that's what they had to believe. They saw a great nirvana before them. Golden skies, unlike the dark clouds they saw on the surface. Descending slowly to them in a beautiful flash of shimmering, golden light, they saw the utterly enormous form of Kefka, not in a mechanized or statue-like form as when all the other Returners had fought him from before, but instead flesh and blood, like a living being, although his appearance was just as unnerving as his prior forms. His skin was a deep shade of purple, his long, stringy golden hair flowing slightly about as a light robe her wore loosely around the lower half of his muscular body whipped this way and that as he glided to meet with them. His grinning mouth was full of several rows of long, cone-shaped pointy teeth, matching the long, slender claws of his fingers and toes. Two, gigantic pairs of wings, one of glimmering white feathers and on of leathery, shining scales, flapped gently and slowly as he came closer and closer for them. Finally, he opened his gleaming eyes and smiled maliciously down upon them.

"LIFE... DREAMS... HOPE..." he whispered in all four voices, his and that of each of the three entities, Demon, Fiend and Goddess. "WHERE DO THEY COME FROM... WHERE DO THEY GO... THESE THINGS... I WILL DESTROY!"

He howled and roared with his insane laughter, made all the more unnerving by the accompanying voices. Instantly, Terra drew her long, needle-like sword and held it high. The battle was on. Shadow took the offensive first, flinging giant shuriken and kunai for him, only for him to block the onslaught with his regal wings. Sending a surge of pure energy, it redirected for Celes, who had used her unique ability to absorb the magical energies and spare Shadow from the attack. As Kefka glared for her, Shadow drew a thin blade and charged for Kefka, jabbing it into the god-like giant's shoulder

"Baram!" Shadow roared as he flipped and dodged from a swinging grasp Kefka lazily made for him. In fact, it seemed as though Kefka wasn't taking this seriously at all.

"This is for my wife and child, beast!" Cyan roared as he drew an incredibly long katana and swung for Kefka, the latter blocking with his enormous claws. Wiggling his fingers like a child, Kefka tussled back and forth with Cyan. He knew Kefka was toying with him. Jumping high, Cyan called upon the ancient teachings of the Doman nobles, his already enormous katana growing obscenely longer as he plunged for Kefka, missing completely as the 'god' shot away from him.

"Worthless coward!" Cyan roared as he hurried for Kefka once more (his blade having returned to its proper size). "You call yourself a god!" he spat as he swung for the evading monstrosity. "You slay the innocent!" he howled as Kefka continued to avoid the attacks. "You deserve the fate you sentenced so many to!" he cried as he jumped for Kefka. This time, however, Kefka jabbed all four of his wings into Cyan, immobilizing him completely.

"YOU WORTHLESS HUMANS... WHEN WILL YOU EVER LEARN- ARGH!" Kefka roared as Terra cast 'Flare' from behind Kefka, sending him reeling forward.

"Celes! Shadow! Attack now Both of you!" she called as she cast a powerful healing spell of the bleeding Cyan. Instantly, Celes and Shadow charged for Kefka on opposite sides, both jumping at different angles, Shadow readying his blade and Celes drawing a curved scimitar and dagger in her gauntlet-bound hands. Thinking desperately, Kefka split into two forms, both identical, to his previous form, somewhat smaller than before and both laughing maliciously. Hurrying away from the attacking duo, they both jeered as the attackers stumbled, only for both of them to be tackled from behind by Terra and Cyan, both of who ferociously attacked him. As they were battered and besieged, they warped away and rejoined into the gargantuan form prior. Cackling, Kefka disappeared, leaving the four looking this way and that for him. Just then, Celes felt a sharp pain shoot through her backbone as a small apparition of Kefka warped behind her and sent her flying with a power blow. Warping again, Kefka punched Cyan, knocking him into the soaring Celes, changing her course as she flew off once more. Teleporting again, Kefka blocked several jabs from Shadow, who anticipated Kefka to appear before him, only for Kefka to counter his sly moves and knock him into Celes and Cyan. Finally, Kefka appeared before Terra, seizing her by the throat, shooting with stinging speed and hurling her for the three, each of them crashing about painfully. Floating closer, now his enormous size once more, Kefka glowered down at not only the four who challenged him now, but the other Returners who had matched the might of his living tower. Splitting into several human-sized doppelgangers, the Kefkas shot down through the clouds for each of the awestruck warriors, four staying behind, three human sized and one slightly larger. As each of the Returners dueled their respective Kefka, the larger one seized Terra and shot for the skies, into the golden clouds, into the beautiful, shimmering sun.

"LOOK AT IT ALL, TERRA..." he whispered in his four voices. "LOOK AT THEM ALL AS THEY FIGHT... FOOLISHLY CLINGING TO LIFE... WE BOTH KNOW THEY WILL FAIL AND DIE IN BATTLE... IT IS WHAT THEY DESERVE... IT IS WHAT ALL DESERVE... THE ESPERS HAVE ALL DIED... THE HUMANS ARE FATED TO DIE... YOU WHO ARE BOTH WILL BE LOST..."

"Why... why do you want destructing, Kefka?" Terra rasped slowly, a glimmering tear gliding down her face. "What is it you want?"

"WANT!" Kefka roared laughing with his voices. "WHAT IS WANT! WHAT IS DESIRE! STUPID HUMANS! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! **STUPID!**" Suddenly, Kefka's laughter stopped, each of the doppelgangers stopped fighting and turned to look up at Kefka who buried his face in his hands.

"**STUPID HUMANS TO BUILD BUILDINGS, KNOWING THEY WILL WHEATHER AND CRUMBLE! STUPID HUMANS TO MAKE FRIENDS KNOWING THEY SOMEDAY FADE AWAY! STUPID HUMANS TO CLING TO YOUTH, KNOWING YOU WILL GROW OLD! STUPID HUMANS TO GO AND LIVE YOUR LIVES SO IGNORANT AND FOOLISHLY, KNOWING YOU WILL ALL SOMEDAY DIE!"**

At this, Kefka ripped his hands away from his face, crying out with great tears streaming down his fearsome face, each of the doppelgangers instantly joining back with him as he returned to his colossal size.

"**PAIN! I FEEL PAIN!"** he roared in his many voices. **"I FEEL FEAR! I FEEL SADNESS! I FEEL ANGER!"** Crying, sobbing, Kefka began to violently shake and thrash about in the air like a small child throwing a tantrum, crying harder and harder all the while. **"I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE! WHY DO PEOPLE DIE! MAKE IT GO AWAY!"** he roared, clutching his face, his wings flapping about in a frenzy. **"WHAT MAKES IT ALL GO AWAY!"** he shrieked in terror, suddenly growing limp. "DESTRUCTION... DESTRUCTION IS WHAT..." Kefka slowly turned his head up to meet with Terra, now grinning his fearsome, psychotic grin, great tears still streaming down his face.

"**I DESTROY! IT'S SO MUCH FUN! I KILL! IT'S SO MUCH FUN! I DO IT ALL AND I DON'T FEEL SCARED! I DO IT ALL AND I DON'T FEEL ANGRY! I DO IT ALL AND I DON'T FEEL SAD! I DO IT ALL AND I DON'T FEEL PAIN! NO PAIN! NO PAIN! NO PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!" **he howled, laughing his unending laugh. **"YES! I WANT ****DESTRUCTION! I WANT DEATH! I AM MERCIFUL! ALL LIFE IS PAIN, ALL LIFE IS SORROW, ALL LIFE IS ANGER, ALL LIFE IS FEAR! NOT ANYMORE! I AM A MERCIFUL GOD! I WILL DESTROY ALL! I WILL KILL ALL! GOD OF THE NEW WORLD! THE NEW WORLD OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION! THE NEW WORLD WHERE NOBODY LIVES, WHERE EVERYONE DIES, WHERE I KILL EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING! I WILL END ALL!"**

Seizing Terra, he squeezed tightly, chocking the breath from her.

"**YOU ARE STUPID! YOU QUESTION YOUR GOD! YOU SHOULD DIE FOR THAT! YES! DIES FOR STUPIDNESS AND STUPIDITY! I WANT YOU TO DIE! YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE I WILL KILL YOU!"**

Kefka roared and howled with laughter, Terra fighting to free herself.

"You are no god, Kefka!" Terra spat. "Someone so horrible like you, a god? Never! YOU WILL NEVER BE A GOD, NEVER!" At this, all the Returners cheered and praised Terra's word. Kefka only went on with his ramblings.

"**YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE I WILL KILL YOU! YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE I WILL KILL YOU! YOU WILL BLEED WHEN YOU DIE! BLOOD! BLOOD WILL FLOW FROM YOU! DIE FOOLISH MORTAL! DIE WHEN YOUR GOD KILLS YOU, DIE!"**

Kefka's entire face lit up, blinding light shining from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth as he began to ravage her with his all-powerful Light of Judgment. As the Returners looked on in shock and fear for their leader, Terra closed her eyes as tight as she could as she began to feel the indescribable pain her body entirely engulfed by Kefka's mighty attack. It hurt so much she couldn't even scream. Holes began to tear in her flesh as if it were fabric being stretched and torn. Just as she began to think it would become too much, Terra suddenly opened her eyes, glowing brilliantly as she shed her human for and burst from Kefka's grip with ease. Having fully embraced her Esper form, Terra sent a giant orb for Kefka, causing a magnificent explosion, sending him falling to his living tower.

"YOU ARE NOT A GOD!"

Terra, shooting for him, began to punch him repeatedly in the heart until finally she punched him so hard a mammoth chunk of his chest blew open, Kefka falling silently for his tower. As the Returners slowly descended to his spire once more, they saw him lying on the undamaged spire, eying his shattered torso in disbelief. Looking up to the Returners, Kefka met Terra's gaze. They both knew he was about to die, and yet, as his breathing slowed, his face curled into the same twisted smile he always wore with pride. His golden eyes sunk into his skull and a moment later, he withered, twisted and then faded away completely, smiling all the while. Kefka was finally dead.


	5. Finale

The tower began to shake violently as the Returners looked about. The clouds, both the golden and the blackened alike, where turning white and fading immensely.

"The tower will collapse!" Edgar called, Terra's glowing form beginning to fade. "To the airship!" Setzer added motioning them to leave. Before they could take another step, however, Terra fell to her knees, clutching her chest and breathing heavily. She, like all magic, was fading now that both Kefka and the Warring Triad were no more. Terra swallowed hard an rose into the air.

"Everyone hurry!" she called. "I'll lead you all out." As everyone gathered, one stayed behind. They all turned to see Shadow standing in the center of the giant spire as Kefka's floating mechanism began to fall for the tower.

"Shadow! HURRY!" "We're wasting time!" "It's all gonna come down!"

Turning slowly, Shadow nodded for the Returners.

"Go on now." he said solemnly, nodding toward Strago and Relm. "It's time my story ends..." he said turning back to the falling chunk of metal. "It's time I stop running... but most importantly..." Shadow said as he stared unblinkingly for the descending hunk, everyone looking on in total shock. "It's time we meet again." he said to his long fallen friend. Before they could call out his name, the giant chunk fell into the tower, right on top of Shadow. They knew they had to run. Terra charged, leading all of them through the crumbling, shattering tower. Despite the loss of Shadow, despite the danger they were in, despite everything that had just happened, everything had happened all through this time, they chatted with each other. They laughed with each other. They were happy to be with each other. They had saved the world. They had ended Kefka's reign of terror. At long last, they had freed the world.

* * *

Finally, coming to the airship, they zoomed away at top speed, Terra flying to catch up with them but at that moment, she felt a numbness shoot through her body. Closing her eyes, her friends screaming and crying out for her as she fell, Terra fell not only to the surface, but into the blackness.

"Terra... I know you can hear me..."

Terra opened her eyes, seeing her glowing Esper form had faded away. She was human once again, alive and breathing as she fell through the skies for the ground, but it didn't matter. She saw the spirit of her father, the fallen great Esper Maduin, smiling at her.

"You are human, now, Terra... You are free now... Magic is gone, and so are the Espers, but you live on..."

Crying tears of joy, Terra reached out for her father as he faded, Maduin doing the same. Before she hit the crust below, the airship zoomed for her, Edgar firing a grappling hook for her and saving her from crashing into the earth. Everyone was so happy to see Terra alive and well, and Terra was happy to still be alive. Stepping for the nose of the airship, she closed her eyes, feeling the rushing wind.

"Setzer... GO HIGHER!" she called. Laughing, Setzer took the airship as high as he could.

"SETZER! GO FASTER!" Terra called, her hairband snapping from her hair in the rushing wind. Stretching her arms, Terra felt the wind from one year ago. Thunder crashed as a storm rushed quickly across the plains. Rain poured onto the airship. Everyone basked and lifted their hands up in the storm. Plants budded and animals galloped down below. The world was alive again. They had done what they set out to do. They had won, and made their final fantasy a reality.

* * *

A bit cheesy of an ending (complete with a nod to Final Fantasy X-2), I know, but all the same. I'm happy with how it all turned out. Tell me what you all think.


End file.
